


Invisible

by Aaronlisa



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bullying, Gen, goth!rachel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 20:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6872719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronlisa/pseuds/Aaronlisa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Rachel dealt with being bullied in a different way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Invisible

**Author's Note:**

> This is set during an AU Season One. It's inspired by 3x20 "Props."

There are times when Rachel Berry feels like she's invisible. Even with the Goth clothes and the streaks of colourful dye in her hair. (This week she's put in purple and red streaks and no one from glee club has noticed it.) She sits in the back row and lets people with lesser talent than her shine on a regular basis. And yes, she's well aware that by doing so she'll never make it into a prestigious school or even out of Lima, Ohio. 

But she knows what happens when she opens her mouth and she tries to shine. She gets slushies dumped on her, her car gets scratched up and worse her answering machine at home gets filled with hateful slurs about both herself and her two gay fathers. Rachel thinks that she could probably handle it if she was the only victim but she can't take it when the bullying extends beyond her. So she keeps her mouth shout, content with the occasional solo during practice, content with allowing Finn and Tina sing their hearts out. 

She'd rather be invisible because she saw what almost happened to Kurt. And she doesn't want to be the next one with a target on her back. It's bad enough what her own team mates do to her, without adding the rest of the school along.

What's worse is when Mr. Schue calls on her and she freezes. She can't say anything and he just gives a sad shake of his head before turning to someone else. He's the only one who knows about her talent, having caught her at one of her after school activities of dance and singing that's two towns over. He tries to push her but she's just too afraid. 

Despite the clothes and the hair, Rachel _wants_ to stay invisible if only to protect herself and her fathers. There will be a time when she can shine and that time hasn't arrived yet.


End file.
